


you can’t take the sky from me

by hunnieyoonie



Category: A.C.E (Beat Interactive Band)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Firefly Setting, Firefly AU, Gen, Outer Space, friendships only no romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-20
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-11-01 07:37:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17863112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hunnieyoonie/pseuds/hunnieyoonie
Summary: Park Junhee is the captain of a modest (read: old) spaceship with no crew and no plans. So he sets out to find a crew, and along the way, maybe he finds a family too.Firefly AU! where A.C.E are space cowboys that go on a bunch of different adventures.





	1. Serenity

**Author's Note:**

> If you’ve never watched Firefly, I hope you can still read this and enjoy! It basically takes place thousands of years in the future, where space travel is possible. However, it continues to have Western and cowboy-esque themes.

Junhee gazed up at the ship. It was slightly rusted, a few broken parts hanging off of it, with the word ‘Serenity’ faded on the side. He had never seen anything more beautiful.

Park Junhee was tired. He had spent a couple years fighting a war that was destined to be lost, before returning to the life of crime. Being apart of the Independence and fighting against the Alliance, he felt important. He felt like he was doing something good with his life. But when the Independence inevitably lost, his dreams came crashing down.

A few years after the war and here he was. Tired of making petty cash through cheap scams. He wanted to do something bigger, wanted to be in charge of himself again. So here he was, about to buy a rusty ship, with no crew and no plan. It was better than nothing, at least.

A month went by of him sleeping in the ship’s cabin and looking around for a mechanic that could help him fix it. His savior came in the form of a sleeping bundle in the engine room. He walked towards it slowly, carefully eyeing the blonde tuft of hair that peeked out of the blanket. He pulled out his gun, pointing it towards the shape and gave it a swift kick.

“Hey! Watch it!” the blonde boy shouted, jumping up.

“Who are you, and why are you sleeping in my ship?” Junhee asked, gesturing him to answer quickly with his gun.

The boy quickly raised his hands above his head, and it gave Junhee a better view of his face. He was younger than him, that much was obvious. His eyes were sharp, and something in them made Junhee cautious. 

“Byeongkwan. Heard you were looking for a mechanic. Got tired waitin’ for you, so decided to take a nap.”

Junhee eyed him. 

“So,” Junhee eventually said. “Can you fix the ship or not?”

Byeongkwan smirked. “That depends. What can you do for me?”

“This isn’t a negotiation,” Junhee sighed. “You either fix the ship, and be apart of the crew, or get out.”

Byeongkwan gave him a big smile now. Junhee would say it was a nice smile, if he wasn’t so worried about what he just said. What was he thinking? Did he really just offer this stowaway a position on this ship? Sometimes, he really hated his lack of filter. Scratch that, he always hated it.

“Well, Cap. Looks like we got ourselves a deal.” Byeongkwan held out his hand for a shake.

Junhee sighed and grasped it. Byeongkwan smiled again, and Junhee felt a small spark of hope in his heart. Maybe he could do something more. Maybe he could be something more.

Days later, the ship was up and running all thanks to Byeongkwan. Junhee was still cautious, but he had learned that despite Byeongkwan’s mischievousness, he was a good kid. 

He had told Junhee one night his story. His parents had passed away when he was young, so he had found a home and a job at a local mechanic and learned he an affinity for fixing things. He had grown up on this planet his entire life and wanted to explore what the rest of the galaxy had to offer, hence his deal with Junhee. He was casual when telling Junhee his life, but he could see the lingering pain in Byeongkwan’s eyes when he talked about it. 

•·················•·················•

“Cap, we have a problem.”

Junhee shot up from where he was researching nearby planets and local ads.

“What, what problem? Is something wrong with the engine? The fuel?” Junhee worried, he really couldn’t afford anymore problems.

“No, none of that. Cap, in case you forgot, neither of us can fly this ship. We need a pilot.”

....right. A pilot. 

“Well...do you have any friends that know how to fly a ship like this?” Junhee was desperate, and praying that Byeongkwan knew someone to help.

Byeongkwan looked contemplative, before a smile slowly stretched across his face. Uh oh. That could only mean trouble.

“Now that you mention it, I do know someone!” He grinned before saying, “The only problem is, he’s never actually flown a ship before.”

Junhee was speechless. Byeongkwan was suggesting a kid to be the main pilot of his ship, without ever physically flying one. He wanted to choke him.

A day later, he found himself sitting at the ship’s kitchen table, across from a kid with the brightest smile he’d ever seen. He looked barely 19, with bright eyes and a tall stature. Junhee side-eyed Byeongkwan who was talking amiably with the kid, Yuchan.

“So.” Junhee sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that day, “Why do you think you should be the head pilot, when you’ve never flown a ship in your life?”

If anything, Yuchan just smiled brighter.

“Because, you have no other options!”

Byeongkwan tried to cover up a laugh by fake coughing. Junhee could only glare.

“Still. You have to have some experience piloting a ship. And I don’t mean any of those video games.”

“Well,” Yuchan hesitated slightly. “You know that Alliance cadet school in the city? They have a simulation test that all pilots have to take before graduation...”

“And he snuck in, took the test, and passed with flying colors! He beat most of the stuck up, Alliance jerks that took it, and he didn’t even know half the stuff they did!” Byeongkwan exclaimed, grinning wildly at Yuchan. Yuchan looked bashful and pink in the face, but there was no hiding his pride.

Junhee leaned back in his chair. The kid was a natural, if the story they were telling his true. Still, he couldn’t just take him in on blind faith.

“Okay...how about this. There’s a fuel station a couple miles south in Chinon. You can manage that flight, and I’ll let you stay on board.”

At those words, Byeongkwan and Yuchan cheered loudly, already celebrating Yuchan’s induction into the crew. Despite himself, Junhee smiled.

 

The landing into Chinon was smooth. Smoother than Junhee expected. So Yuchan was accepted to the crew, as quick as that.

Junhee enlisted them to walk around town for awhile to talk to people, and find out if there was anyone that needed a less than legal job done. 

Junhee stumbled into a old, shady bar, filled to the brim with who he could only assume were criminals. Perfect.

“Can I get a beer, please?” He asked the bartender, a sweet smile on his face. The woman blushed as she prepared his drink.

“So, sweetheart. You must know a lot of the people here. Do you think you can tell me if there’s anyone here that needs a job done?” Junhee made sure to throw a wink, hoping his charms can get him the information he needs. “Any dirty work they don’t wanna do, me and my crew will do it!” 

The woman smiled, and looked up at someone over his shoulder. “Well, sweetheart, I think my husband’s got a job for you.”

Seconds later, he was on the ground, his nose gushing blood. He really regretted not looking for a ring first. At least, he might have an in with all the criminals here, based on how many of them had crooked noses.

Before the husband could get in another swing, a man intercepted, holding a gun up to the husband’s head.

“Lay off, Zhang. Your wife flirts with the nearest pulse, you don’t have to beat the kid up.” The man spoke in a hushed tone, his voice deep.

Zhang, apparently, huffed and walked roughly to the bar. The man helped him up, and pushed a handkerchief to his nose, to stop the bleeding.

Through the blood, Junhee appraised the man before him. He wasn’t particularly intimidating with eyes that evoked the deepest sympathy in Junhee. And yet, the man had pulled out a gun like he was pouring a drink. With ease and a certain energy of excitement.

“.....what’s your name?” Junhee murmured through the handkerchief.

“Lee Donghun.” He answered simply, too focused on stopping the blood.

“Kid, I need to take you to a medic to get your nose fixed up. Is that okay?” Junhee nodded dazedly, he had never been good with blood. 

As they walked to the medic, Junhee contemplated his next step. Donghun could be a good asset to his crew. But it seemed like it would take a lot to convince him to join.

They walked into a small home. It was cramped, and filled with medical textbooks and several hand guns, along with several burger wrappers lying around.

“Yoon! Yoon, are you here?” Donghun, shouted into the apartment. Suddenly a man’s head popped out from a door to Junhee’s right.

“Kid this is Kim Sehyoon, he’s a doctor here. Sehyoon this is...” Donghun trailed off.

“Junhee. Park Junhee. Can you tell me if my nose is broken?” Sehyoon cracked a tiny smile at that, before moving closer. “I hope not. My job relies on my face a lot, it’d be a big problem.”

“What, you a prostitute then?” Donghun asked, eyebrows raised.

Junhee spluttered. “What? No! I...do a lot of odd jobs. Sometimes, those jobs go south and the only that gets me out of trouble is my face.”

“Well, your face didn’t save you today. Obviously.” Donghun smirked. Junhee was too busy to retort as Sehyoon was currently poking his nose, making him gasp in pain.

“It’s not broken. But it’s going to bruise, for sure. Make sure you take some pain meds, and be careful not to bump it.” Sehyoon was serious as he said this to him, talking gently.

Everything about Sehyoon seemed quiet. He didn’t smile too wide, or talk too loud, or wear too flashy clothes, judging by his black attire. He was intriguing to Junhee for some reason, though. Any other person like Sehyoon, he would call boring and dismiss them. 

“Thank you for your help Donghun, and thank you for making sure I didn’t break my nose, Sehyoon. However, I have another favor to ask you.”

Donghun quirked a brow and crossed his arms. Sehyoon’s face showed no signs of interest or rejection.

“So. Like I said, I do odd jobs. Actually, I own a ship now, and I was hoping to form a crew to help my smuggling business. The pay’s good. And well....I need a doctor.” Junhee proposed, a small smile on his face.

“And me? What do you want me for?” Donghun said, leaning forward. He seemed interested, his eyes lighting up.

Junhee smiled even bigger. “You’re good with guns. Fast. No one on my crew is as good as you.” 

Junhee failed to mention that the only crew members on his ship were a mechanic and a pilot. But Donghun didn’t need to know that yet.

Pride shone on Donghun’s face, but it slowly dropped as he glanced over. Sehyoon was staring at his hands, his eyes closed.

“Listen, you don’t have to decide now! I’m not gonna be leaving town for a few days now.” Junhee rushed to say, as the silence continued.

Sehyoon nodded slowly, locking eyes with Donghun. Sehyoon then stood up and made his way to his room. Donghun suddenly looked conflicted as it was just him and Junhee left alone.

“Yeah....yeah, we’ll need a few days.” Donghun sighed, slowly running his hand over his face.

“So. If you don’t mind me asking...if he says no, would you really turn down this chance of coming with me?” Junhee wondered aloud.

“Sehyoon...we’re childhood friends. We grew up together and he doesn’t have anyone else. But me.” 

Donghun’s eyes were somber as he spoke, and something in Junhee’s heart went out to this person who was loyal to a fault. 

“Like I said, contact me by Thursday. Here’s the code to my communicator. Just think about it, alright?” Junhee pleaded.

Donghun gave a small smile and a nod, as Junhee exited the apartment. 

He really, really hoped Donghun and Sehyoon would join his crew. Otherwise, his bruised nose would be for nothing.


	2. Bounty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the crew is assembled and Junhee is on a mission to get as much money as possible. That isn’t always easy when dealing with criminals, just like him. But maybe his connections will help him for once.

Thursday came, and with it came the addition of Donghun and Sehyoon. Junhee was grateful Sehyoon had agreed to join, despite his hesitation.

At first, Sehyoon didn’t exactly get along with Byeongkwan and Yuchan. Both of them thought Sehyoon was too quiet and too boring to be in the crew.

Donghun, however, they latched on to. His intimidating and collected persona made him seem “cool” (Yuchan’s words) and his caring nature attracted the two youngest.

Junhee pondered their next steps as a crew. They needed money, and in order to get money, they needed a job.

Junhee made his way to the bridge, where he found all of the crew passing time. Sehyoon was reading a textbook, and Yuchan and Byeongkwan were playing some sort of card game. Donghun sat at the table, cleaning his gun.

Junhee called out to Donghun, “Hey! You know a lot of people in Chinon. You must know if there’s anyone around that would need something smuggled. Anyone we can check out?”

Donghun thought for a moment before saying, “Actually, I do. He usually hires third parties to do the smuggling, so we’re just what he needs.”

“What does he usually need smuggled?” Byeongkwan asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.

“Diamonds.” 

“Diamonds! He must be rich!” Yuchan exclaimed, eyes wide at the thought of someone selling such a rare crystal.

Donghun scoffed. “He’s rich, sure. But he sells fake diamonds to buyers, and scams ‘em all out of their money.” 

“He pays the third parties in full, though?” Junhee asked.

Donghun nodded. “A friend of mine did it once for a good amount of money. Wasn’t too hard to do either. Should be an easy job.”

“Okay, then you and I can head into town to talk to this fellow. See if he has a job that needs done.” Junhee said, then turned to the other three, “Stay put, okay? We’ll only be gone a couple hours at most.”

Byeongkwan pouted, Yuchan nodded and grinned, and Sehyoon remained expressionless.

“But, Cap! Why can’t I go? I’m a solid fighter, too.” He knew Byeongkwan would want to go, already yearning for a sense of adventure.

Donghun stepped in. “It’s gonna be pretty boring, Kwan. Just things like who we’re dropping it off to, and how much the pay is. Seriously, nothing cool happens yet.”

Byeongkwan seemed appeased by that, nodding and relaxing back in his chair. Yuchan picked up his cards again, before exclaiming, “Go Fish!”

 

Junhee carefully prodded his nose. Just being in the bar made it ache, more than usual. He sighed and looked across the table at the young man.

He was covered in expensive leather and real fur, with glittering jewelry adorning him. An entourage of people surrounded him, and everything about him screamed wealth. But most of all, his eyes held a certain haughtiness and arrogance that Junhee despised. 

“So, Xiao. Was hoping you had a job for us. Anything that needs...exported?” Donghun leaned in. 

Usually Junhee liked to do the talking, but today he was grateful for Donghun’s acquaintance with Xiao. Junhee wasn’t sure if he’d be able to stomach talking to man like him. 

Xiao grinned, “I’ve got the usual goods that need transported. The recipient is a man named Myungsoo.” A man to his right handed them a file.

Myungsoo. The name sounded familiar to Junhee. As he opened the file and saw the picture, he understood why.

Myungsoo and Junhee had been in the same quadrant in the Independence-Alliance war. They had both seen each other resort to cold streets and petty crime when they lost the war.

Junhee had also seen how Myungsoo had made a name for himself as a bounty hunter, arresting criminals for amazing sums of money. He wondered if Myungsoo was purposely buying fake diamonds, in order to catch Xiao in the act. Junhee’s mind was working fast as he stared down at the photograph.

Junhee made plans to contact him after the meeting, already thinking of a way to get even more money out of this job.

“So. What’s the pay?” Junhee finally asked.

“20,000 units.” Junhee scoffed and said, “You think I can’t read? This guy’s been working with jewelry for 5 years. He’ll be able to tell they’re fakes within 10 minutes.”

Xiao raised his eyebrows, urging Junhee to name a price. 

“50,000 units.”

Xiao laughed and moved to stand up and leave.

“Listen, you’re a fool if you think you’ll get anyone to do this job for under that. Anyone can see that as soon as he knows they’re fake, it’ll be trouble.”

Junhee leaned forward, making eye contact with Xiao. “How about a compromise? You pay us 25,000 units now, and then 25 after we get the job done.”

Xiao thought for a moment before holding his hand out. Junhee grasped it, smiling with his canines poking out. 

 

As they walked back into the ship, Donghun glanced over. “Now I understand what you mean. About your charm. I was sure we were only going to bag the 20,000.”

“To be fair, I was telling the truth. He wouldn’t be able to get any good smugglers with that little money.” Junhee shrugged.

Junhee gathered the crew on the bridge, passing the file around to the crew. 

“Xiao is sending guys over later tonight to drop off the boxes. As soon as they arrive, we head for Hera. It’s a four day trip from here.”

Yuchan perked up, looking excited at finally being able to fly the ship again.

“He paid us 25,000 units now, and will wire the other 25 after the delivery is confirmed. But...there’s a way we can get even more money.”

Donghun and the rest of the crew looked confused. Junhee grinned.

“The client, Myungsoo? He’s an old friend of mine. A bounty hunter. I’m gonna call him, see if he’s after Xiao. He might pay good money for information on his whereabouts.”

“So the plan is...to double-cross Xiao? Isn’t that bad?” Yuchan asked, confused.

“He sells fake diamonds for a living. If anything, we’re doing something good!” Byeongkwan said, nudging Yuchan happily.

 

Junhee powered up the communicator in his cabin. He had sent a message earlier to Myungsoo, asking if he was available to talk, and they had set up a time.

A holographic screen flickered on, and Myungsoo’s face came out, grainy but visible.

“Junhee. This is a surprise. Did you need to borrow some money?” Junhee laughed.

“No! You’re still a bounty hunter right? I had some information that might be valuable to you. It’s about Xiao. We’re the third party he hired to deliver the fake diamonds to you. I have his current location.”

Myungsoo suddenly looked interested and intense. “Name your price, then.”

“30,000 units.”

Myungsoo nodded. “I’ll wire it to you, if the information is what I need.”

“Xiao’s in Mi’rai. Chinon specifically. He’s at Lucky, the bar, most often. He’s dropping the diamonds off to the ship tonight, so he’ll still be in town.” 

Myungsoo was silent for a moment, thinking the information over. “He’ll probably be gone by the time I get there.”

“I can have one of my crew stick around. Follow him to make sure he stays on Mi’rai, just until you get here.”

Myungsoo nodded. “That’s a good plan. Thanks, Jun. I’ll wire you the units right away.”

“Just remember to message Xiao in 4 days to confirm that the diamonds have been delivered. He’d get suspicious otherwise. Maybe curse him out for giving you fakes. Be sure to really sell it, y’know.”

Myungsoo laughed, and said his goodbyes. 80,000 units was pretty good for their first job.

Junhee filled the crew in on the plan, enlisting Byeongkwan to stay behind and follow Xiao, as his face wasn’t familiar to him. He had looked thrilled at his orders, but Junhee worried. He was afraid Xiao might notice a shadow and lash out.

The boxes were dropped off by Xiao’s crew, and they were ready to head out. The plan was to fly around Mi’rai for a day or two, and stop at the nearest city, until it was safe for them to pick Byeongkwan back up.

“Cap...do you think Xiao is the type to put a tracking system with his cargo? I don’t know, I’m just worried, he’ll know.” Yuchan asked, glancing over at the boxes in the corner of the cargo hold.

Junhee realized that Yuchan had a point, and maybe Xiao would be able to plant something in the diamonds.

They scanned the boxes for any small device that could be used for tracking. They even opened the boxes and dug through the diamonds.

“Nothing. Guess we’ll just have to take our chances.”

 

Four days passed. They talked with Byeongkwan every night on the communicator in the ship. Luckily, they still hadn’t noticed him following them. Myungsoo told Junhee that he had sent Xiao a lengthy and angry message, and not ten minutes after, the other 25,000 units had been wired to his account.

Byeongkwan sent them a message that it was safe to come back, as he had witnessed Myungsoo arresting Xiao himself. 

They landed back on Chinon, and Byeongkwan came barreling onto the cargo hold.

“Cap! Guys! You should have seen it, Myungsoo was so cool arresting that guy. Although, that guy was pretty angry with you, Cap. Kept cursing you out, and everyone around him heard your name.”

Junhee sighed. “Well, we can’t stay here then. Any planets you guys have been wanting to visit?”

Sehyoon spoke up just then, a strange look on his face. “Ariel. We need to go to Ariel.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	3. Ariel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> we find a little more about Sehyoon’s backstory and character and we finally see some development.

Junhee laughed, “You’re joking, right? Please tell me you’re joking.”

Sehyoon said nothing, looking at him steadily. He knew he still wasn’t close enough with the crew, but it was now or never.

“So, you’re suggesting we go to Ariel, an Alliance filled planet, where we most definitely will be caught. And for what?” Junhee scoffed. This job had better make a lot of money for them to risk capture by Alliance troops.

“There’s a hospital in the capital, Nikita. I know how to sneak you in and get you the storage room. Then, you take as many expensive drugs and medicine as you can.”

He pulled out a small glass bottle. “This is insulin. Just one of these is 200 units,” He raised another bottle. “This is Soliris. 750 units.”

Sehyoon was desperate, “You can take my split of the money from the drugs when you sell them too. We just need to go to Ariel.”

Sehyoon knew he would have a tough time at convincing the crew. He was stressed that somehow they wouldn’t agree to go to Ariel, and them joining this crew would be pointless. 

“What’s in it for you then? What’s in Ariel that you’re in such a hurry to find?” Junhee asked. 

Sehyoon hesitated. He knew he had to tell them sooner or later, but he was worried. Would the truth turn them away even more? Junhee rolled his eyes, “Listen, the gig is off unless you tell me. As much as I love money, I need a better reason than that to go into an Alliance infested city.”

Sehyoon sighed and lowered his head. “.....my sister. She’s in that hospital and I need to rescue her.”

Donghun finally moved forward, resting a comforting hand on Sehyoon’s shoulder. “Yoon, we’ve been over this. Your sister’s at the boarding school the state sent her to. She’s fine.”

Sehyoon shook his head vehemently. “No! I’ve told you before, she’s not! The letters I’ve gotten from her aren’t normal. They don’t sound at all like Eunsuh, and when I bring up old memories, she doesn’t remember them!”

He stood up now, grasping Donghun’s shoulders, determination in his eyes. “She’s at that hospital. One of my classmates from med school said he saw her there. I think they’re torturing her.”

Byeongkwan interrupted the tension by saying, “Why would the Alliance want your sister?”

Sehyoon collapsed back into his chair, suddenly exhausted before answering. “She’s a genius. She helped me with my calculus homework when she was in grade school. I can only assume they wanted to use her brain in some way. They took her three years ago, and I’ve been trying to find her since then.”

He remembered when Alliance officials came to their home three years ago. His parents had been hesitant to agree, knowing the reputation the Alliance had. But the boarding school had sounded amazing, perfect for Eunsuh’s brilliant mind. A few months had passed since she had left, and the letters he got were unsettling.

He tried telling his parents that something was going on, but they wouldn’t listen. He tried over and over, but his parents continued to act like his sister had never existed. That had been the tipping point for him to leave home. 

He turned to his only real friend, Donghun. They had grown up in the same neighborhood, and Sehyoon had always loved Donghun’s parents. The Lee’s were warm and inviting, and he happily stayed there for the next year, until Donghun and him found their own apartment. The whole time, he never stopped searching for Eunsuh.

He looked up at Junhee, who was staring straight back at him. Junhee nodded and something blossomed in his chest. 

“Alright, then what’s your plan? How do we infiltrate a major Alliance hospital?”

“I’ve been collecting hospital uniforms from when I worked as an Alliance surgeon,” Sehyoon rushed to explain. “And I’ve been in contact with a forger on Ariel who can create security badges. That way you have access to the storage rooms.”

“How are we going to smuggle the drugs out though?” Donghun cut in. “And is it even possible to get your sister out without being caught?”

“I’m fully prepared for the consequences if I get caught. If it does happens, continue your plan, and leave Ariel without me.” Sehyoon was determined not to endanger any of the crew members.

He looked over to Donghun, who seemed angry, with furrowed brows. He tried making eye contact, but Donghun purposely avoided it.

Junhee tried diffusing the tension. “Look, we... we’ll make that decision if the situation occurs,” Junhee paused, and Sehyoon’s breath caught in his throat. “Either way, we’ll take the job.”

 

The days it took to fly to Ariel were filled with tension and detailed planning. Sehyoon was tense, shoulders constantly hunched over blueprints of the hospital. He had barely slept after Junhee had agreed, mind filled with worry.

Yuchan landed Serenity as close as they could get to the hospital without making their presence known. They all knew that an emergency exit would be needed, and Yuchan would have to high-tail it to pick them up.

Sehyoon, Junhee, Donghun, and Byeongkwan approached the hospital, having stopped to change into the uniforms. Junhee had agreed to let Byeongkwan come, in order to carry more drugs, and Byeongkwan had been a little too excited for such a dangerous mission.

They passed the security gates at the entrance smoothly. From there the group split up, Sehyoon heading to the psych ward on the 10th floor, and the rest to the storage rooms in the basement. Sehyoon silently prayed they would be able to get through safely.

As Sehyoon rode the elevator up, he was terrified a classmate or mentor would recognize him. He glanced up at the security cameras. Great, just another thing to get them caught.

The doors opened at the ninth floor, a man entering the elevator. “Sehyoon!” He silently cursed. “What are you doing here? It’s been so long!”

He was grateful that at least the person who noticed him was Jian, a particularly clueless friend from school.

“I have an interview to work here! I just finished, so I thought I’d just explore the place, see what it has to offer.” Sehyoon smiled, internally hoping it seemed genuine enough.

“That’s great, man! I really hope you get the job.” Jian said, smiling dumbly. The doors opened up just then.

“Well, I’m going to get off here and look around. Have a nice day.” Sehyoon waved goodbye and quickly exited.

The 10th floor was eerily quiet. Just a few doctors and nurses milling around. He tried acting nonchalant, like he knew exactly where he was going, hoping no one would question him.

He desperately tried thinking of what room his sister could be in. “Come on, come on!” Sehyoon whispered, “Think! There has to be something in the letters she sent.”

Sehyoon closed his eyes, mentally going over the letters Eunsuh had sent. There had been strange phrases he didn’t understand, mentions of memories they didn’t share, but nothing that could help him here.

“Wait...” Sehyoon’s eyes flew up. He suddenly remembered how Eunsuh would always date her letters, 0515. He thought she had done that because it was his birth date. 

But maybe it had been something else. He walked as quickly as he could to room 10515. “10513, 10514, 10515.”

He stood outside the door for a moment, before scanning his security badge against the lock pad. What he saw upon entering made him want to cry and scream and hurt whoever had done this.

It was Eunsuh. Trapped to a chair, with wires connected to her head. Her eyes were closed, and she seemed asleep, if it hadn’t been for her thrashing. She was obviously in pain and Sehyoon’s heart broke for her.

He ran to her, glad the room was empty. He ripped the wires off her and held her face as she screamed. Her eyes opened rapidly. She looked almost feral, darting around as if looking for a threat.

He grasped her face. “Eunsuh, it’s okay! Eunsuh,” Sehyoon pleaded. “It’s me. Your brother, Sehyoon. Please come back.”

Her eyes focused in a little more at him. “Sehyoon?” He nodded. “Sehyoon! They hurt me, they keep hurting me! I can’t...” She broke down into sobs then.

He rushed to hug her. “It’s okay. It’s okay, I’ll get you out of here.” He separated and grabbed her face again, “But we have to hurry okay? Stand up, and put this on.” 

He handed her a uniform, and soon they were holding hands and rushing to leave. Sehyoon sent a message to Yuchan and the other three that he had Eunsuh and was making his way to the exit.

They were so close to the exit, Eunsuh’s disappearance went by unnoticed. But something in the corner of Sehyoon’s eye made him stop his tracks. A man’s heart had stopped, and the doctor in charge was doing all the wrong things.

“Move out of the way! Get the defibrillator.” Sehyoon was angry, “You’re a doctor, you should no better than this!”

The doctor was offended, “He’s going tachy, you’re not helping either.” 

Sehyoon scoffed, “At least his heart is beating.” He sighed as the nurses rushed around to stabilize him. He turned to grasp Eunsuh’s hand again. She had a tiny smile on her face, and it made him hope that everything could be okay.

The sirens blared. Maybe he spoke too soon. 

“CODE RED. PLEASE APPREHEND ANY PERSON OR PERSONS THAT ARE SUSPICIOUS. CODE RED. A PATIENT HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM THE HOSPITAL.” 

Sehyoon cursed. He had no choice but to make a run for it. He pressed his in-ear communicator.

“Yuchan! I’m exiting the building now, where are you?” He yelled over the sirens. If Yuchan replied, he couldn’t hear it. He heard gunshots, and looking over his shoulder, he saw security guards with guns. He pulled his sister in front of him, and pushed her to keep going.

They made it out of the hospital with security still chasing them. Serenity or the crew was nowhere in site. He looked around, desperate for a hiding place, but there was nothing.

Suddenly, there was a rush of wind, sand spinning around them. He looked up, a hand coming up to shield him from the sun. And there she was. Serenity.

A ladder flew down, hitting the ground. He ushered Eunsuh onto it, before climbing on himself. They flew away as quickly as they could, as the ladder raised them up to the ship.

 

They all assembled in the cargo hold. Eunsuh was standing behind him, as the rest of the crew rifled through the medicine.

“Everyone, this is Eunsuh. My sister.” 

She peered around his shoulder. “I can kill you with my brain.”

Byeongkwan jumped up. “Well, it was nice to meet you, but I should get going back to my bunk!”

“She’s harmless, really,” Sehyoon reassured. “At least, I hope. The Alliance was....they were playing with her brain. Hurting her.”

“But she’ll be okay now,” Sehyoon smiled at Eunsuh. “And maybe I will too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	4. Junstown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get a look into Byeongkwan’s perspective, and find more out about Junhee’s past. Cuteness and jokes ensue.

“Cap, we’ll have to stop pretty soon for gas.” Yuchan called out as he walked into the kitchen. Junhee nodded before saying, “Canton’s only an hour away, we can stop there for a couple hours, buy some supplies.”

Byeongkwan was excited. It had been a week since they had rescued Sehyoon’s sister and honestly, he was a little scared of her. He was ready to spend some time planet-side, away from creepy girls and their eerily quiet brother.

Junhee glanced over at him. “Kwan, don’t be too excited. It’s a mud town. Practically nothing there.”

“Still! The food’s gotta be better than the canned mush we have on here.”

The ship landed, and the crew made their way into Canton. They wandered into the city center, Byeongkwan specifically looking for any good bars to stop in.

Junhee and Donghun were leading the pack, but halted abruptly. Byeongkwan looked up confusedly, wondering why the sudden stop. And there in front of them, was a statue of a man with the name Park Junhee carved into the stone bellow.

His jaw dropped. He didn’t know the Captain had a statue of himself in a crappy town like this. He wondered what the Cap did to get it, maybe he could get one resurrected too.

“This must be what going mad feels like,” Donghun muttered, his hand over his mouth in shock. “This...this has to be a nightmare, right?”

“Junhee,” Sehyoon whispered. “Is there a reason there’s a statue of you here?” Junhee shook his head, looking as confused as the rest of them were.

“Y’know, I think they captured his likeness pretty well!” Byeongkwan exclaimed amazed.

Yuchan tilted his head, squinting at the statue. “He looks kind of creepy, though.”

“Yeah, that’s sorta what I meant.” Byeongkwan replied, grinning a little.

Junhee suddenly looked panicked. “Listen, can we all stop gawking at this thing and move on. Whatever the reason it’s here for, I don’t want to know.”

“Cap. This sort of thing needs a moment of processing,” Yuchan said, still staring at it. “How do it’s eyes keep following me when I move?”

“Guys!” Junhee whisper-screamed. “Can we just- can we just stop and head into this bar. Please?” Junhee pleaded. Byeongkwan then realized how strange it was for a group of people to have suddenly stopped in the middle of a busy town.

They rushed into the nearest bar and sat down in the darkest corner booth, as Yuchan got their drinks.

“So, you really have no idea why that thing is there? None at all?” Donghun asked.

“No! I’ve only been here once for a job I did with another crew. We stole some supplies and cash from some government people here, that was it.”

Donghun shook his head, sighing.

“Maybe there’s another Park Junhee that saved this town, then?” Yuchan suggested, eyebrows raised.

Just then, a man with a guitar started singing in the bar. It was a popular and well-known song as the all the customers started singing along. Only the tail end of the song registered in Byeongkwan’s mind.

“The hero of Canton, the man they call Jun!” The crowd sung in unison, their mugs raised high.

“No, this must be what going mad feels like.” Sehyoon exclaimed, amusement clear in his face. Eunsuh was giggling next to him. Huh. When they weren’t being scary or emotionless, both of them were pretty cute, Byeongkwan thought.

“No, this is hell,” Donghun said. “Pure hell.”

Yuchan was still intently listening to the song, standing up and getting closer to the musician. As the song finished, he rushed back to the group.

“Cap! Did you really give all the money you stole from the mayor back to the citizens?”

“What? I...I don’t think so?” Junhee looked deep in thought, mind going back to the last time he was here.

“Oh! Oh no... I think I know what happened,” Junhee paled, as he suddenly remembered. “The officials were chasing us, and they had damaged the ship. We had to get rid of some cargo in order to break atmosphere.”

Junhee looked upset, his palm slapping his foreheard. “The box I threw off must have been the money we stole... 60,000 units. All gone.” He said, dejectedly.

“I can’t wander around here, someone will notice me. You guys go ahead, we can meet back at the ship later tonight.”

Byeongkwan opted to stay with Junhee, feeling bad due to the turn of events. The rest of the crew left, looking for groceries and souvenirs.

“So, Cap. You don’t wanna show yourself? Everyone here would love you!” Byeongkwan was curious why Junhee would turn down the opportunity to be showered in wonder and affection. That’s what he would want, at least.

“I just. I don’t want to lie to them, Kwan. I don’t want to have to tell them their ‘hero’ is a bad guy.” Junhee sighed. Suddenly, he looked much older now, with this pressure on him.

“You’re not a bad person,” Byeongkwan tried to get Junhee to understand. “But, they deserve to know the truth.”

“Yeah, well,” Junhee’s smile just then was rueful. “I’ve never been great at telling the truth.”

“Jun! It’s Jun!” A murmur went through the bar. Oh no. They had been discovered. Junhee grabbed Byeongkwan’s hand and ran out the bar, only to stop. A crowd had formed outside, all chanting “Jun” in unison.

“Our hero’s back!” Someone exclaimed. Junhee ran back inside the bar.

“I need a drink,” His head in his hands.

“You’re really Park Junhee?” The bartender asked. “The hero of Canton don’t get none of that crap. He only gets the best whiskey in the house!”

Junhee looked like he could cry. Byeongkwan was laughing, taking a swig of the whiskey Jun had gotten.

“We have to get out of here!” Junhee pleaded to Byeongkwan.

“Cap. As much as I’m enjoying this, you need to tell them. Tell the truth, for once.”

Junhee looked scared, his eyes wide. But then a look of resolve replaced his fear, and he nodded once, before marching outside.

“Everyone! I need to tell you something,” He yelled, getting the attention of the growing crowd. “I’m not your hero. I never intended to give you the money I did. It was all an accident!”

The noise from the crowd turned displeased and angry. “Please. Please forget about me and tear down that statue!”

It didn’t take long for a riot to form, abusing the town center’s statue and yelling angry curses at Junhee. Byeongkwan looked over at Jun, as they zig-zagged through the crowd. He expected him to look sad or upset, but instead Jun seemed relieved. Happy almost.

After they made their way to the ship, with minimal bruises, they reconvened with the crew. Byeongkwan retold the story of what happened, mainly focusing on the free whiskey and the toppling of Junhee’s statue.

“Well, I, for one, am extremely pleased we’re out of that hell hole,” Donghun shook his head. “Plus, I found a market that had fresh fruits and vegetables, so we’ll be eating good tonight.”

“I hope it’s not brother’s turn for cooking,” Eunsuh whispered. “Yuck.”

The whole crew laughed at that, while Sehyoon looked offended.

“Don’t worry, it’s mine and Donghun’s turn to cook. You don’t have to worry about your yucky brother’s food.” Junhee said, sticking his tongue out, while Sehyoon pouted.

“My food’s not that bad!” Even Sehyoon’s voice was whiny. “Eunsuh, how could you betray me like that!”

“The definition of betrayal is to violate one’s trust, or being disloyal to a person’s moral standard,” Eunsuh recited, looking far off. Her eyes focused back on Sehyoon. “Also, your food is too bland.”

“Guys! I’m not finished with the story, pay attention. You should have seen the look on Junhee’s face!” Byeongkwan started where he left off.

He smiled as Yuchan and Eunsuh giggled at one of the parts of the story. Junhee might have been onto something when they talked in Canton. Maybe Byeongkwan didn’t need an entire town to love and adore him, maybe he only needed five people to do that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
